White House to Democrats: 'Punch back twice as hard'

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Senior White House adviser David Axelrod (left) and deputy chief of staff Jim Messina told senators to focus on the insured and how they would benefit from “consumer protections
AP Photo

The Senate Democratic caucus meeting followed a sitdown earlier Thursday at the White House between President Barack Obama and the six Finance Committee members who have been trying to negotiate a bipartisan bill.

The president urged the group to continue work on a compromise, but it also discussed the possibility of Democrats going it alone if the talks proved fruitless.

"If Republicans aren't there, it could get to the point where sometime after the recess. ... Democrats may have to go in a different direction," Baucus said. "I hope not, but we have to face facts."

But, he added, "I don't think it will become a reality."

The six senators met for about an hour with Obama and discussed policy issues including the expansion of Medicaid. For part of the meeting, they kicked their staff members out of the room, Baucus said. The group includes Baucus, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Sen. Olympia Snow (R-Maine).

"He encouraged us to continue with the effort and we talked about what policies are better than some others, and how we should keep working through the August recess," Baucus said. "We may reach a point though where have to take stock when we get back. At that point, if things are going great, fine. If not then we may have to go in some other direction."

Snowe said they told Obama there would be no hiatus in their talks through the break, and they agreed to assess their progress in September.

“He is concerned about timelines throughout the fall,” Snowe said. “And he didn’t issue, frankly, any timelines, which I think we also appreciated. He understands there needs to be flexibility, but he obviously knows that time marches on. So he just wants to see what the standing will be at that point so he knows how to proceed himself in moving forward.”

Readers' Comments (1369)

The best tip that the White House can give democrat lawmakers is to stack their town hall meetings with people from ACORN, add in some paid union thugs and get hold of those black panthers that were intimidating voters with baseball bats. Isn't that the way community organizers think. It is almost surreal watching the community organizer complain about people in the community organizing.

We're still waiting for proof from Nancy 'the torturer" Pelosi to back up her claim that conservatives are showing up with swastikas.

American Patriots, WE HAVE THE MARXISTS ON THE ROPES. This story proves it. When they have to send out their incredibly weak messenger, Harry Reid, to attack a TALK SHOW HOST, you know they've lost all ability to control the situation. WE ARE BEING HEARD, whether they want to admit it or not, and we're having a monumental effect. AMERICA DIDN'T VOTE FOR THIS, and we don't want it. What's more, we WILL NOT HAVE IT!

Now is not the time to shrink away from our duties to our Country and our children. WE MUST KEEP UP THE FIGHT...be bolder, stronger, louder, more organized, more prepared, more educated. WE MUST CONTINUE TO GATHER, we must continue to confront these liars and lunatics who are trampling our Constitution, consuming our government, overthrowing our American way of life. WE MUST KEEP THE PRESSURE ON, now more than ever.

But make no mistake, they will not sit still. Obama and his robots are already planning our downfall. They are sending out "kindling", in the form of ACORN and OFA brownshirts, to set the stage for a manufacutred violent riot. All they will have to do then is to start the ball rolling and then get their compadres in the Mainstream Media to blame US. They will criminalize us, paint us as enemies of the state (we, the ones who are DEFENDING the United States and her Constitution!) and destroy the momentum we have built. DON'T LET THEM DO IT!

Please read this:

DEFEATING THE ENEMY ATTACK

This blog post outlines the strategy best applied in the effort to overcome this brownshirt menace. DON'T LET THEM MANIPULATE YOU INTO A BAD POSITION. This is absolutely their intent and you must not make it easy for them.

Keep up the fight...stand strong and firm...gather in numbers...and WIN AMERICA BACK FROM THE SOCIALISTS WHO WOULD ABSCOND WITH IT!

American Patriots, our time is NOW...the task is MONUMENTAL...the very survival of the United States of America rests with US. DO YOUR DUTY NOW!

American Patriots, WE HAVE THE MARXISTS ON THE ROPES. This story proves it. When they have to send out their incredibly weak messenger, Harry Reid, to attack a TALK SHOW HOST, you know they've lost all ability to control the situation. WE ARE BEING HEARD, whether they want to admit it or not, and we're having a monumental effect. AMERICA DIDN'T VOTE FOR THIS, and we don't want it. What's more, we WILL NOT HAVE IT!

Now is not the time to shrink away from our duties to our Country and our children. WE MUST KEEP UP THE FIGHT...be bolder, stronger, louder, more organized, more prepared, more educated. WE MUST CONTINUE TO GATHER, we must continue to confront these liars and lunatics who are trampling our Constitution, consuming our government, overthrowing our American way of life. WE MUST KEEP THE PRESSURE ON, now more than ever.

But make no mistake, they will not sit still. Obama and his robots are already planning our downfall. They are sending out "kindling", in the form of ACORN and OFA brownshirts, to set the stage for a manufacutred violent riot. All they will have to do then is to start the ball rolling and then get their compadres in the Mainstream Media to blame US. They will criminalize us, paint us as enemies of the state (we, the ones who are DEFENDING the United States and her Constitution!) and destroy the momentum we have built. DON'T LET THEM DO IT!

Please read this:

DEFEATING THE ENEMY ATTACK

This blog post outlines the strategy best applied in the effort to overcome this brownshirt menace. DON'T LET THEM MANIPULATE YOU INTO A BAD POSITION. This is absolutely their intent and you must not make it easy for them.

Keep up the fight...stand strong and firm...gather in numbers...and WIN AMERICA BACK FROM THE SOCIALISTS WHO WOULD ABSCOND WITH IT!

American Patriots, our time is NOW...the task is MONUMENTAL...the very survival of the United States of America rests with US. DO YOUR DUTY NOW!

American Patriots, WE HAVE THE MARXISTS ON THE ROPES. This story proves it. When they have to send out their incredibly weak messenger, Harry Reid, to attack a TALK SHOW HOST, you know they've lost all ability to control the situation. WE ARE BEING HEARD, whether they want to admit it or not, and we're having a monumental effect. AMERICA DIDN'T VOTE FOR THIS, and we don't want it. What's more, we WILL NOT HAVE IT!

Now is not the time to shrink away from our duties to our Country and our children. WE MUST KEEP UP THE FIGHT...be bolder, stronger, louder, more organized, more prepared, more educated. WE MUST CONTINUE TO GATHER, we must continue to confront these liars and lunatics who are trampling our Constitution, consuming our government, overthrowing our American way of life. WE MUST KEEP THE PRESSURE ON, now more than ever.

But make no mistake, they will not sit still. Obama and his robots are already planning our downfall. They are sending out "kindling", in the form of ACORN and OFA brownshirts, to set the stage for a manufacutred violent riot. All they will have to do then is to start the ball rolling and then get their compadres in the Mainstream Media to blame US. They will criminalize us, paint us as enemies of the state (we, the ones who are DEFENDING the United States and her Constitution!) and destroy the momentum we have built. DON'T LET THEM DO IT!

Please read this:

DEFEATING THE ENEMY ATTACK

This blog post outlines the strategy best applied in the effort to overcome this brownshirt menace. DON'T LET THEM MANIPULATE YOU INTO A BAD POSITION. This is absolutely their intent and you must not make it easy for them.

Keep up the fight...stand strong and firm...gather in numbers...and WIN AMERICA BACK FROM THE SOCIALISTS WHO WOULD ABSCOND WITH IT!

American Patriots, our time is NOW...the task is MONUMENTAL...the very survival of the United States of America rests with US. DO YOUR DUTY NOW!

American Patriots, WE HAVE THE MARXISTS ON THE ROPES. This story proves it. When they have to send out their incredibly weak messenger, Harry Reid, to attack a TALK SHOW HOST, you know they've lost all ability to control the situation. WE ARE BEING HEARD, whether they want to admit it or not, and we're having a monumental effect. AMERICA DIDN'T VOTE FOR THIS, and we don't want it. What's more, we WILL NOT HAVE IT!

Now is not the time to shrink away from our duties to our Country and our children. WE MUST KEEP UP THE FIGHT...be bolder, stronger, louder, more organized, more prepared, more educated. WE MUST CONTINUE TO GATHER, we must continue to confront these liars and lunatics who are trampling our Constitution, consuming our government, overthrowing our American way of life. WE MUST KEEP THE PRESSURE ON, now more than ever.

But make no mistake, they will not sit still. Obama and his robots are already planning our downfall. They are sending out "kindling", in the form of ACORN and OFA brownshirts, to set the stage for a manufacutred violent riot. All they will have to do then is to start the ball rolling and then get their compadres in the Mainstream Media to blame US. They will criminalize us, paint us as enemies of the state (we, the ones who are DEFENDING the United States and her Constitution!) and destroy the momentum we have built. DON'T LET THEM DO IT! Be on guard against the "bait" they are about to throw our way...

Please read this:

DEFEATING THE ENEMY ATTACK

This blog post outlines the strategy best applied in the effort to overcome this brownshirt menace. DON'T LET THEM MANIPULATE YOU INTO A BAD POSITION. This is absolutely their intent and you must not make it easy for them.

Keep up the fight...stand strong and firm...gather in numbers...and WIN AMERICA BACK FROM THE SOCIALISTS WHO WOULD ABSCOND WITH IT!

American Patriots, our time is NOW...the task is MONUMENTAL...the very survival of the United States of America rests with US. DO YOUR DUTY NOW!

I am very happy to have the Republicans called the 'Party of No”. It is a great slogan for 2010-2012

NO more taxes NO more spending money we don't have NO more stimulus or pork spending NO more earmarks NO more Czars NO more take over of companies NO more mafia like arm twisting NO more firing of people who want to investigate corruption NO more money to corrupt agencies like ACORN NO more running of car companies NO more sending stimulus checks to dead people NO more representation of some of the people and not all of the people NO more catering to lobbyists NO more weak and indecisive talk with terrorist nations NO more teleprompter NO more hiding EPA findings that don't support your bills NO more of Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Dodd, Schumer, Conyers, Waxman and more NO more government growth and taking away our personal freedoms NO more getting involved in local police/citizen disputes NO cap and trade NO Government run healthcare

We are happy with the Republicans being called the “Party of Yes”,

YES to healthcare that is written in a bipartisan manner YES to healthcare tort reform YES to healthcare reform to buy insurance across state lines to promote competition YES to healthcare reform for efficiency in the medical system with electronic records and billing YES to healthcare reform to cover pre-existing conditions YES to healthcare reform to rid the system of fraud YES to healthcare reform to help cover those in need YES to healthcare reform that helps small business afford insurance coverage YES to reducing the deficit YES to free speech YES to personal freedom

And they screened TV ads and reviewed the various campaigns by critics of the Democratic plan.

“If you get hit, we will punch back twice as hard,” Messina said, according to an official who attended the meeting.

The hour-long session was the last opportunity for Democratic leaders and the White House to prepare senators for what will be a crucial month in shaping public opinion on health care. With no final legislation to promote, senators have expressed concern about dealing with questions and criticisms about the almost $1 trillion overhaul. The spate of confrontational town hall meetings have raised the stakes.

The republicans and their paid mouthpieces in the birther/teaparty/brownshirt mobs have resorted to hanging congressmen in effigy - joking about congressmen getting lynched, assaulting representatives, and calling in with death threats.

When their actions were raised here - the typical response from the right was "anything that works".

The republicans have crossed a very serious line with their threats.

I look forward to these same mobs being confronted by UAW workers, with steelworkers, with actual plumbers and other sold union folk.

Paul Robeson He’s The Man That Faced The Ku Klux Klan On Hollow Grove’s Golfing Ground His Words Come Sounding And All Around Him There To Jump And Clap And Cheer I Sent The Best I Had, The Best I Had My Thirty Thousand

The Klansman Leader Said That Paul Would Lose His Head When Thirty Five Thousand Vets Broke Up That Concert. But Less Than Four Thousand Came To Side With The Klan But Around Paul’s Lonesome Oak My Thirty Thousand.

A Beersoaked Brassy Band Did Snortle Round The Grounds Four Hundred Noblest Souls Westchester’s Manhood And They Looked Exactly Like The Fleas On A Tiger’s Back; Lost Fish In The Waters Of My Thirty Thousandi

When Paul Had Sung And Gone And The Kids And Babies Home Cops Came With Guns And Clubs And They Clubbed And Beat Em Well I’d Hate To Be A Cop Caught With A Bloody Stick, 'Cause You Can’t Bash The Brains Out Of Thirty Thousand

Each Eye You Tried To Gouge, Each Skull You Tried To Crack Has A Thousand Thousand Friends Around This Green Grass If You Furnish The Skull Someday I'll Pass Out The Clubs And Guns To The Billion Hands That Love My Thirty Thousand

Each Wrinkle On Your Face I Know It At A Glance You Cannot Run And Hide Nor Duck Nor Dodge Them And Your Carcass And Your Deeds Will Fertilize The Seeds Of The Men That Stood To Guard My Thirty Thousand Of The Men That Stood To Guard My Thirty Thousand

“There is unprecedented insurance reforms – things that have never been done,” said Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), a member of the Health, Energy, Labor and Pensions Committee, which approved its health care bill last month. “In our committee, we had to vote and 10 Republicans voted against all those insurance reforms, every single one of them. Not many people know that but if I have anything to do with it, they will know it.”

Learn from an expert. Follow Obama's advice when you come across some kool-aid drinker that defends the dems takeover of the health insurance industry without knowing the facts.... argue with them and get in their face. It worked for him and his followers.

“There is unprecedented insurance reforms – things that have never been done,” said Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), a member of the Health, Energy, Labor and Pensions Committee, which approved its health care bill last month. “In our committee, we had to vote and 10 Republicans voted against all those insurance reforms, every single one of them. Not many people know that but if I have anything to do with it, they will know it.”

There seems to be a bit of confusion among Democrats about the nature of the opposition to their plans. Maybe I can help clear things up, by telling them a few things about us. We’re not paid minions of any corporate interest or lobby. Most bloggers working to stop the Obama health-care disaster are like me, writing when they can find the time, because we care about the future of our country. The same is true of the people showing up at town hall meetings, and organizing rallies. Some of us are well-dressed in tailored suits. Others wear jeans and T-shirts. Most of us are dressed in what we wore to work. Our support for a massive government program does not increase when you tell us we're not allowed to ask questions about it. We're not racists. We're also not racialists. We don't think a wise Latina is inherently more qualified to do anything than a wise Asian woman, a wise white woman, or a wise white man. We're tired of being fed excuses for high government offices staffed by anything but the best people for the job. There are too many high government offices, so we’d like some of Obama’s absurdly incompetent appointees to take their titles with them when they leave. We remember what it was like when we got rid of the Clinton mob, so we’ll be conducting inventories on the contents of those vacated offices, before we turn out the lights and pour cement in the locks. We don't like having to fight desperate battles to save our freedom and future from socialist politicians every ten or twenty years. We don't like having our time wasted with trillion-dollar statist fantasies, when our government is already trillions of dollars in the red. We're tired of checking the papers each day, to see which group of us has been targeted as enemies of the State. We’re growing impatient waiting for the Democrats to come up with ideas that don’t require their supporters to hate someone. We’ve had our fill of "progressives" who act as if we're living in 1909, and none of their diseased policies have ever been tried before. We believe government should be punished for failing to live up to the expectations of its citizens, not the other way around. We don’t think people who destroy thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in market value should get a pass because they meant well. We’ve had enough of dodging a massive State that wants to organize, subsidize, penalize, and divide us. We refuse to pay tithe to a religion we don't support, including the official State religion of global warming. We demand honesty, humility, and transparency from our public servants, no matter how many elections they've won. We won't settle for making the only important decisions about our futures in the voting booth, once every couple of years. We don't blame people for showing up to grab their share of a government handout. We blame the people who stole the money from the rest of us, and put it on the table for them. We don’t think respect for private property ends at a certain income level, or that only some people should be applauded for doing their best to get ahead in life. We believe in the power and righteousness of capitalism, the exchange of goods and services between free people acting in their own best interests. There is no moral substitute for it. Every other scheme for governing human affairs amounts to a few dominating some, to the applause of others. Our freedom is not for sale, and we reserve the right to defend it from theft. We don’t invest our hopes in the government. It is beneath the dignity of free men and women to spend their days hoping a politician decides to provide for our needs. We face the future, not with passive and helpless “hope”, but with active and dynamic faith in ourselves, and our fellow Americans. We are opposed to a political class that tries to cultivate our hopes by showering us with fear. We don’t trust politicians with our fortunes, much less with our lives. In fact, we don’t trust politicians much at all… but we absolutely require them to trust us. We do not regard America as the sole country on Earth that should be forbidden from taking pride in its history, traditions, and achievements. We reject the notion that celebrating our traditions is an automatic insult to anyone else. We owe absolutely no apologies to murderous dictators or unelected tyrants, and we care little for their feelings. We believe there are many lessons to be learned from our history, by all the people of the world, and we cannot teach those lessons if we allow ourselves to be shamed into silence. We will never hesitate to call evil by its proper name, or give evil men good reasons to fear us. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have a lot of work to do. There’s an election coming up next year.